The Agility Imperative: Tune Up for Future Success

The future belongs to the agile.

Changing the game

For credit unions, agility is the ability to consistently recognize and capture business opportunities before our competitors
do. It’s the power to constantly think and draw conclusions, and then quickly take action.

The question becomes, “To what degree is my credit union agile, and how do I build the necessary skills, talents, and
drive into my organization’s culture?”

In “How to Thrive in Turbulent Markets,” published in the Harvard Business
Review in February 2009, Donald Sull indicated that organizations can achieve agility in three ways:

1. Operationally, through focused business and quick action;2. On the portfolio level, by shifting resources into more promising business lines, and;3. Strategically, by seizing game-changing opportunities.

While these three issues are in many ways interrelated and depend on similar approaches, let’s focus on the operational
aspects—dealing with five primary areas to evaluate whether you have the agility to effectively deliver products and
services in the face of so many unknowns.

Within each area (organization, market, delivery systems, technology, and operational support) there are a number of questions
you must consistently ask, assess, and answer if you are to lead a truly agile organization:

Organization (people, teams, division of labor, and structure):

How effective are managers and vice presidents in change management?

Do managers and vice presidents have the requisite skills of tomorrow to be effective leaders? Do I know
the skills I need tomorrow?

Are vice presidents leaders or doers?

What skills do team members need to fulfill member needs in the future? Have we identified these skills
and equipped the team to be successful?

What are the roles and responsibilities of each unique department/branch? Have we set expectations and
clearly conveyed these expectations, and are they understood?

Have we organized teams in an efficient and effective way, both functionally and synergistically? How is
the credit union structured for effective risk management?

Are all goals and targets in departments/branches aligned to the organizational goals & targets?

Are metrics in place to understand performance and early warning issues/flags?

Are we measuring the right things?

Do we reward the right results/behaviors? Do we have clear performance goals for teams and individuals?

What's your biggest concern for 2018?

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